In response to demand for increased processing speed and reduced device size, semiconductor devices have become increasingly complicated. In smaller, lighter weight, and higher frequency electronic devices, transitions between signal levels are more frequent, creating stronger electromagnetic emissions. Performance of semiconductor devices in an electronic device can be negatively affected by electromagnetic emissions from other semiconductor devices in the same electronic device. The risk of such electromagnetic interference (EMI) increases as the density of semiconductor devices in a given electronic device increases.
One method for reducing EMI is to dispose an EMI shield frame on a substrate during the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device package. The EMI shield frame, which is typically metal, surrounds the semiconductor devices disposed on the substrate and may also separate neighboring semiconductor devices.
In some semiconductor devices, the substrate has a larger plan area than the EMI shield frame to facilitate erecting the EMI shield frame on the substrate. As a result, the final product has a larger size. In addition, during the manufacturing process, a given EMI shield frame is only compatible with a specific semiconductor device package type having the configuration for which the EMI shield frame was designed. Manufacturing different semiconductor device packages thus requires a larger inventory of compatible EMI shield frames.